We’re getting a new “National Flagship”
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We’re getting a new “National Flagship”
We’re getting a new “Royal Yacht
As a sales tool yes, but blowing 200 million on a ship to be used by a few.. No.
She will be Royal Navy manned, I wonder if they will include a heli deck and a secondary role, Britannia was supposed to double as a hospital ship, but missed the Falklands I believe due to the fuel it used. If it does fulfill the same rôle a Heli deck would make sense.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57293882
As a sales tool yes, but blowing 200 million on a ship to be used by a few.. No.
She will be Royal Navy manned, I wonder if they will include a heli deck and a secondary role, Britannia was supposed to double as a hospital ship, but missed the Falklands I believe due to the fuel it used. If it does fulfill the same rôle a Heli deck would make sense.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57293882
National hubris, I fear. A hideously ugly hull form with no graceful shear to it all. If the government wants to support British shipbuilding, would it not be better to ensure that all those proposed Fleet Auxiliary vessels are built in British shipyards instead of being put out to foreign tender?
Use as a sales tool mean you can only reach a limited number of major cities. Madrid, Paris, Moscow, Seoul, Beijing, Canberra, Ottawa, Pretoria, Cairo, Riyadh, New Delhi are a long way from the sea...............
And RN crewed at a time they have trouble recruiting for real warships. I suspect it will gradually fade away once the real costs start coming in
And RN crewed at a time they have trouble recruiting for real warships. I suspect it will gradually fade away once the real costs start coming in
If the primary purpose is selling things British overseas, how about investing in some mobile display boards, a colour printer, a laminator and a big cardboard box full of Union Jack key rings?. Part of the balance could be spent on a couple of blokes in sharp suits to do the talking and we are away.. Fully air portable too!
If HMTQ needs to travel overseas, perhaps HMG could run to a few Thomas Cook vouchers?
If HMTQ needs to travel overseas, perhaps HMG could run to a few Thomas Cook vouchers?
Diesel-Electric machinery has been the most common choice in the large yacht/cruise segment in the last couple of decades, with hybrids picking up quite fast nowadays.
So, yes, there are good chances that such a vessel would have electric propulsion motors.
So, yes, there are good chances that such a vessel would have electric propulsion motors.
How about something like this?
(Sailing Yacht "A")
https://images.app.goo.gl/nNUWe3aijoESG46E9
Even available homegrown:
https://www.fosterandpartners.com/pr...sailing-yacht/
(Sailing Yacht "A")
https://images.app.goo.gl/nNUWe3aijoESG46E9
Even available homegrown:
https://www.fosterandpartners.com/pr...sailing-yacht/
£200M is peanuts compared to the absurd £106B of HS2....
Let's hope that Queen Elizabeth is still our reigning monarch by the time this new Royal Yacht is finished!
Let's hope that Queen Elizabeth is still our reigning monarch by the time this new Royal Yacht is finished!
A total waste of money, as others have said all the main capital city’s are inland. What they should be doing is for starters using ZZ336 to fly the flag.
instead just acting as a “pretty petrol station “, do as the French with their 330’s painted up as flag wavers.
Over the last three months one of them has been showing their flag all over Canada, the Pacific, Africa the Indian Ocean, rather than tartan here tartan there, tartan every wherever.
instead just acting as a “pretty petrol station “, do as the French with their 330’s painted up as flag wavers.
Over the last three months one of them has been showing their flag all over Canada, the Pacific, Africa the Indian Ocean, rather than tartan here tartan there, tartan every wherever.
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
A sailing yacht in the RN would certainly lead to someone having to dig out some old tactics manuals.
I presume that the captain would have to learn about the importance of the weather gage and, if a hospital ship, using the lee gage to avoid battle. (Assuming the enemy were sporting and didn’t use their engines of course…)
I presume that the captain would have to learn about the importance of the weather gage and, if a hospital ship, using the lee gage to avoid battle. (Assuming the enemy were sporting and didn’t use their engines of course…)
IMHO, Britannia only lasted as long "in service" as she did because she was a fine example from a bygone era. Fast forward to today, and the amount which would need to be spent to compete with the average Russian oligarch would be beyond our budget, not to mention beyond the capabilities of our shioyards to produce (no criticism intended, but horses for courses...) Factor in the running costs and the inevitable carping over who would use it and for what, and it is all just too hard. I also suspect that the days when "sales" could be closed over canapes and a few tunes from the Band of The Royal Marines are, sadly perhaps, behind us.
I look forward to this "national flagship" supporting the nation's armed forces during any future time of crisis in the same way that Britannia did during the Falklands. Oh, wait..
Wasn't national prestige, sales and flag waving part of the reason for the two carriers? I seem to recall one already being used as set dressing for a major shindig by HMG.